If consumers are “Smart” do we risk looking dumb?

Are you familiar with the book “If you give a moose a muffin?”

For example, this weekend while getting gas I noticed a brand new, sexy black 2012 Camaro with a ton of accessories pulling off the dealer lot. It looked as if someone was taking it for a test drive (jealous). When it stopped at the light, I whipped out my Blackberry and snapped a picture. Next, I sent it to my friend…curious as to her thoughts.  By coincidence next to the car was a promo sign for the dealership, TEXT OIL50 to 69XXX and save 50% on your next oil change, courtesy of (insert dealership here).

The picture reminds her that she needs to get her oil changed….might as well save some money!

She pulls out her Android to GPS the location, it’s minutes away.  She then texts OIL50 and receives her 50% off coupon.  On her way she realizes she’s never been there before. So, she looks up the dealership rating on carfolks.com. Great independent reviews from their customers – SOLD!

Once there, she calls and asks me if I’m dead set on a Camaro. I’m not; I just thought the car was hot. So she texts me a picture of a red Corvette she sees on the lot. Is she kidding me? That’s my mom’s style! I forward the picture to my mom.  My mom gets a kick out of it! A 1984 red Corvette was the first car she bought on her own. She goes on a huge walk down memory lane and downloads Prince to her iPhone.  Let’s go Crazy was ALWAYS on the radio…you know, that old FM tuner thingy.

Sound farfetched? It’s really not.

Smartphones and the internet have permeated our life in such a way we barely realize how much we are attached to them and depend on them to make daily decisions or INFLUENCE others throughout the day. Think about it. Have you ever been sick and used WebMD to diagnose yourself before going to the doctor?  Or, have you been driving around in an unfamiliar city and realized you’re hungry? Simply use your smartphone or dashboard GPS to become an expert food scavenger.

So, why would your customers be any different? With consumers having tons of information right at their fingertips, automotive customers have become “smarter”. KBB tells them how much to pay for their car, Carfolks.com tells them where to buy it, and they tell their friends how much they like it, so they will know if they want one too. This is all done with a simple device that 91% of Americans carry in their pocket. So, what’s keeping dealerships from getting hip to smartphones?  

1. My friend saved 50% on an oil change
2. My mom went to the dealership to test drive the Corvette

 (ITunes sold the “Purple Rain” soundtrack)

1. My friend received an oil change reminder text 3 months later with another coupon
2. The dealership acquired a new service customer and buyer prospect

 (And me? Well…I just got gas.)

We’re all connected…. is your marketing program connecting with prospects and customers?